Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Medium

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

“”

Our guide was Bo and she was spectacular. She had such a thorough understanding of the culture and the food. She made us feel comfortable and welcomed. It was wonderful hospitality, and we had a fantastic trip. We look forward to doing more urban adventures.

Mr. Andrew C., Canada - 25 Aug 2017

Just a great tour :-)

Ms. Lotte V., Denmark - 22 Jun 2017

Tour guide was really friendly and very knowledgable I would highly recommend this tour. Everyone told me I was wasting my money as I could have bought all the food from the tour for cheaper than the price of the tour. However, if I hadn't done the tour I probably would have stopped at the first restaurant and not experienced the 6 we enjoyed and I would not have known what to order and how to eat the food that I did order.

Ms. Karen F., North Ireland - 12 Jun 2017

Tour snapshot

Get ready, because Hoi An is about to charm the pants off you. Its secret weapon? Food. Unlock the flavours of the Old Town bite by bite, digging in everywhere you look and discovering unforgettable tastes at every turn. Let’s go!

Highlights

Eat your way through Hoi An, local style

Discover hidden local food spots off the tourist trail

Venture into the Old Town’s maze of alleys and bustling markets in search of tasty treats

Explore Hoi An’s unique food culture through its best dishes

Enjoy the spectacular night view of the Japanese covered bridge while enjoying a local drink at a riverfront cafe

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, all food items indicated in the itinerary, one bottle of water, one coffee or beer.

Exclusions: Items of a personal nature, additional food and drinks, tips/gratuities for local guide, Hoi An Ancient Town Ticket 120.000VND or 6USD/person. (The Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation requires visitors to purchase an entrance ticket for Hoi An’s Old Quarter. You will need to have this entrance ticket before joining the tour, and we request that you bring it with you on your Hoi An Food Adventure Tour in case local authorities check.)

Discover the Old Town of Hoi An after the sun has gone down — not only is it the best way to escape the midday heat, it’s also the perfect excuse to dig in to its tasty street food scene!

Our Hoi An food tour starts around sunset, and will walk you through local cafes, food stalls, markets, and restaurants, giving you a filling food adventure for the memory books.

First up – a local bakery that has been making the tastiest banh mi in town for over 20 years. They use the freshest local ingredients and are famous for their banh mi, a scrumptious sandwich that will fire up your taste buds and get them ready for the flavours ahead!

From one local fave to another, next we’ll join locals at a small eatery, taking a seat on the ubiquitous small plastic chairs and sampling tasty BBQ pork rolled with rice paper and fresh herbs. Served with typical soya dipping sauce, this dish is one of the highlights of the local food scene and an absolute must-devour.

Our food tour of Hoi An continues into the atmospheric heart of the city as we head straight for the central market. What awaits us there are hundreds of street hawkers and food stalls selling a staggering array of local produce, including fresh noodles, sweet jelly, seasonal fruits, and live seafood. Your knowledgeable local guide will walk you through the colourful array of ingredients, filling you in on the most popular dishes in Hoi An and the significance of these foods to the traditional culture of central Vietnam.

From here, we’ll dig even deeper into the local food scene, passing through a maze of tiny alleys to emerge at one of our fave (secret) restaurants in Hoi An, where we’ll sample two of Hoi An’s specialties: deep fried wonton and white rose dumplings.

Believe it or not, there’s more food to come! Our Hoi An food tour continues to a street vendor where a plate of chicken rice awaits. Be sure to save space, though, as we still have yet another treat in store: it cake for dessert in a local’s home. Sweet, non?!

We’ll finish our Hoi An food adventure at a local café near the iconic Japanese covered bridge, which is the perfect spot to conclude our culinary escapades. Top off the tour with a Vietnamese coffee or beer, take in the gentle pace of our beloved Hoi An, and reflect on your fave dishes of the evening (if you can pick!).

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, all food items indicated in the itinerary, one bottle of water, one coffee or beer.

Exclusions: Items of a personal nature, additional food and drinks, tips/gratuities for local guide, Hoi An Ancient Town Ticket 120.000VND or 6USD/person. (The Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation requires visitors to purchase an entrance ticket for Hoi An’s Old Quarter. You will need to have this entrance ticket before joining the tour, and we request that you bring it with you on your Hoi An Food Adventure Tour in case local authorities check.)

Dress standard: Light and comfortable clothing is recommended.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: Please inform your local guide about any food allergies you may have. Vegetarians can be catered for.

Child Policy: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.

Local contact

Traveller rating

Excellent

(22)

Very good

(2)

Average

(0)

Poor

(0)

Terrible

(0)

Rating summary

Overall experience

Guide

Local learning

Responsible travel

Met expectations

Mr. Andrew C. from Canada travelled on 25 Aug 2017

Our guide was Bo and she was spectacular. She had such a thorough understanding of the culture and the food. She made us feel comfortable and welcomed. It was wonderful hospitality, and we had a fantastic trip. We look forward to doing more urban adventures.

Ms. Lotte V. from Denmark travelled on 22 Jun 2017

Just a great tour :-)

Ms. Karen F. from North Ireland travelled on 12 Jun 2017

Tour guide was really friendly and very knowledgable I would highly recommend this tour. Everyone told me I was wasting my money as I could have bought all the food from the tour for cheaper than the price of the tour. However, if I hadn't done the tour I probably would have stopped at the first restaurant and not experienced the 6 we enjoyed and I would not have known what to order and how to eat the food that I did order.

Ms. Tina F. from Australia travelled on 11 May 2017

Fantastic tour that gave me the opportunity to try local foods that I may not have had the courage to try before. I learnt so much about Hoi An food and now feel so much more confident to order in Vietnamese restaurants in Hoi An as I know what to expect. Our tour guide was so friendly and knowledgeable. Overall 10 out of 10 experience.

Ms. Marcy W. from USA travelled on 02 Mar 2017

Mr. James D. from Singapore travelled on 01 Mar 2017

Excellent from start to finish - most of the places were off the beaten track and felt authentic. The variety and quality of food was excellent. Pace and overall duration also good.

Mrs. Michele R. from Australia travelled on 27 Jan 2017

Our guide, named Nam, was great.

Mr. Christine Joan T. from Canada travelled on 16 Jan 2017

A great evening, interesting and great to see a different side to HoiAnn

Mr. Rodney C. from USA travelled on 24 Nov 2016

The best part was getting to try many different foods. The tour leader was really pleasant to be around.

Mrs. Rena K. from Japan travelled on 10 Nov 2016

We experienced food and restaurants we'd have never found on our own and it was great! Luong did a fantastic job.

Mr. Reff &. from Australia travelled on 25 Oct 2016

Wonderful guide and a fabulous night. Thank you

Mr. Chris C. from United Kingdom travelled on 29 Aug 2016

Our guide Luong was absolutely brilliant. She was super-friendly, knowledgable and a great guide for our Street Food tour in Hoi An.
She was incredibly helpful in allowing us to reschedule our tour due to one of our party taking ill early during our trip too. We enjoyed the range of foods we were able to sample around Hoi An, in particular in some of the establishments that we would not have found or thought to try without Luong. The tour also gave us an opportunity to see some areas we had not seen and further familiarise ourselves with the area which we subsequently revisited.
Luong was also kind enough to give us some recommendations on other things such as local shops that we were able to take advantage of.
Absolutely brilliant experience. *****

Ms. Bilge T. from Australia travelled on 21 Jul 2016

Luong was a great tour guide! She was very informative and paced the evening well. She was also very willing to make accommodations and changes for people with dietary requirements. We tried some very tasty food and had the great opportunity to explore Hoi An's Old Town. We were definitely full by the end of the night, and tried food we probably wouldn't have discovered if not for the tour. Definitely recommend to anybody visiting Hoi An.

Ms. Lara M. from Australia travelled on 13 Jun 2016

We really enjoyed our experience - loved getting under the skin of Hoi An and seeing the best of local fare. Luong was amazing - very knowledgable and lovely to wander through the city with. We're looking forward to another UA experience soon!

Mr. Marc B. from USA travelled on 06 May 2016

We had a very fun evening with Luong and the other guests. She took us to several sites where we ate very well, and interacted with the local chefs. Highly recommend!